WHY DO MUSLIMS SLAUGHTER THE ANIMAL IN A RUTHLESS MANNER BY TORTURING IT AND SLOWLY AND PAINFULLY KILLING IT?

Ans:"ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING ANIMALS APPEARS RUTHLESS".

The Islamic method of slaughtering animals, known as Zabiha has been the object of much criticism from a large number of people.Before I reply to the question, let me relate an incidence about a discussion between a Sikh and a Muslim regarding animal slaughter.

Once a Sikh asked a Muslim, "Why do you slaughter the animal painfully by cutting the throat instead of the way we do with one stroke i.e. jhatka?" The Muslim replied "We are brave and courageous and attack from the front. We are marad ka baccha (macho men), you are cowards and attack from behind".Jokes apart, one may consider the following points, which prove that the Zabiha method is not only humane but also scientifically the best:

1. Islamic method of slaughtering animal

Zakkaytum is a verb derived from the root word Zakah (to purify). Its infinitive is Tazkiyah which means purification. The Islamic mode of slaughtering an animal requires the following conditions to be met:

a. Animal should be slaughtered with sharp object (knife)The animal has to be slaughtered with a sharp object (knife) and in a fast way so that the pain of slaughter is minimised.\b. Cut wind pipe, throat and vessels of neckZabiha is an Arabic word which means ‘slaughtered’. The ‘slaughtering’ is to be done by cutting the throat, windpipe and the blood vessels in the neck causing the animal’s death without cutting the spinal cord.

c. Blood should be drainedThe blood has to be drained completely before the head is removed. The purpose is to drain out most of the blood which would serve as a good culture medium for micro organisms. The spinal cord must not be cut because the nerve fibers to the heart could be damaged during the process causing cardiac arrest, stagnating the blood in the blood vessels.

2. Blood is a good medium for germs and bacteriaBlood is a good media of germs, bacteria, toxins, etc. Therefore the Muslim way of slaughtering is more hygienic as most of the blood containing germs, bacteria, toxins, etc. that are the cause of several diseases are eliminated.

3. Meat remains fresh for a longer timeMeat slaughtered by Islamic way remains fresh for a longer time due to deficiency of blood in the meat as compared to other methods of slaughtering.

4. Animal does not feel pain

The swift cutting of vessels of the neck disconnects the flow of blood to the nerve of the brain responsible for pain. Thus the animal does not feel pain. While dying, the animal struggles, writhers, shakes and

Kicks, not due to pain, but due to the contraction and relaxation of the muscles defecient in blood and due to the flow of blood out of the body.

( 6 ) That is because Allah is the Truth and because He gives life to the dead and because He is over all things competent( 7 ) And [that they may know] that the Hour is coming - no doubt about it - and that Allah will resurrect those in the graves.( 8 ) And of the people is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge or guidance or an enlightening book [from Him],( 9 ) Twisting his neck [in arrogance] to mislead [people] from the way of Allah. For him in the world is disgrace, and We will make him taste on the Day of Resurrection the punishment of the Burning Fire [while it is said],

( 1 ) O mankind, fear your Lord. Indeed, the convulsion of the [final] Hour is a terrible thing.( 2 ) On the Day you see it every nursing mother will be distracted from that [child] she was nursing, and every pregnant woman will abort her pregnancy, and you will see the people [appearing] intoxicated while they are not intoxicated; but the punishment of Allah is severe.( 3 ) And of the people is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge and follows every rebellious devil.( 4 ) It has been decreed for every devil that whoever turns to him - he will misguide him and will lead him to the punishment of the Blaze.( 5 ) O People, if you should be in doubt about the Resurrection, then [consider that] indeed, We created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a clinging clot, and then from a lump of flesh, formed and unformed - that We may show you. And We settle in the wombs whom We will for a specified term, then We bring you out as a child, and then [We develop you] that you may reach your [time of] maturity. And among you is he who is taken in [early] death, and among you is he who is returned to the most decrepit [old] age so that he knows, after [once having] knowledge, nothing. And you see the earth barren, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and swells and grows [something] of every beautiful kind.

( 103 ) Say, [O Muhammad], "Shall we [believers] inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds?( 104 ) [They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work."( 105 ) Those are the ones who disbelieve in the verses of their Lord and in [their] meeting Him, so their deeds have become worthless; and We will not assign to them on the Day of Resurrection any importance.( 106 ) That is their recompense - Hell - for what they denied and [because] they took My signs and My messengers in ridicule.( 107 ) Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds - they will have the Gardens of Paradise as a lodging,( 108 ) Wherein they abide eternally. They will not desire from it any transfer.( 109 ) Say, "If the sea were ink for [writing] the words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even if We brought the like of it as a supplement."( 110 ) Say, "I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that your god is one God. So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord - let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone."